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SpaceX delivered more than 100 Raptors to Starbase, the launch site is getting ready for the orbital Starship launch,
Florida continues stacking of Mechazilla 2, and we have a second and very serious team working on a rocket to make life multi-planetary!
Let’s dive right in!
My name is Felix, and I am your host for today's episode of What about it.
The space industry is overflowing with innovation these days, and SpaceX isn’t the only company working on a fully reusable Mars rocket!
Starship Updates
SpaceX Texas is busy testing B7.1 right now.
After finishing all the can crusher tests without any visible problems, SpaceX removed the top cap on July 25th.
This is an important step as it means that the crush tests, simulating the load present on a Booster engine section at MaxQ, are finished.
Now, if SpaceX would proceed with the tank after finishing this step, we’d know that it passed those tests.
Two days later we found out that it did.
B7.1 is one step further down the test parkour.
Cryo testing! And as you can see here in Chief’s incredible footage, it passed the first cryo test as well.
So far, so good.
B7.1 is still somewhat of a mystery, by the way.
It has the same design that Booster 7 and 8 have.
No visual difference besides the missing grid fin mounts.
On the top, B7.1 resembles the forward dome section of a Super Heavy booster.
Same dome, rings, and stringers with the mentioned exception of the missing grid fin mounts.
On the bottom, it resembles a current Super Heavy aft dome design,
including the 13-center engine upgraded thrust puck and the four slightly smaller ring segments holding the engine section together.
So, it basically resembles a Super Heavy booster minus everything in between the forward and aft dome.
So my big question here is why not test it before building Booster 7 and 8, which feature the same design changes.
To save resources, it would have made sense to test B7.1 before the boosters were built.
The simple answer, of course, is that there must be other design changes.
Do you know which? Let me know in the comments!
Booster 7.1 is not the main goal at Starbase, Texas, right now.
That would, of course, still be the orbital launch.
Recently SpaceX suffered from an anomaly during a Super Heavy static fire attempt, which delayed the test campaign leading up to the launch.
So,
a lot of effort is being put into restoring the Booster itself and the orbital launch mount to its former glory to be able to continue the test
campaign, get the static fires done and to get ready for the first orbital Starship launch in human history.
And the SpaceX crew at Starbase, Texas, is working hard to get the job done.
Power washing the OLM and stripping it of the charred paint is only one of many steps in the process.
All the systems connected to the OLM at least need to be thoroughly checked.
Are there damaged connections?
Did the shockwave knock out any systems?
Of course, this all is part of the progress.
Test campaigns are meant to find flaws in the design.
And SpaceX is keen on making improvements!
Mauricio from RGV Aerial Photography was up in the air again,
bringing us his fascinating birds-eye views of what SpaceX is doing at Starbase, Texas.
Pay back the love and become a flight supporter on Patreon and follow him on Twitter!
Links to both can be found in the description!
A scrap pile of destroyed OLM shielding can be spotted close to the launch mount.
Chief took some pictures from the ground.
Those are thin metal sheets. Not the thick stuff they installed on the OLM legs.
Likely to protect electrical installation and propellant tubes.
Upgrades might be needed.
Mauricio, of course, took some awesome close-up shots of the launch site again.
And if you pay close attention, you can already see the results of SpaceX’s learning process on how to launch the biggest rockets ever made.
The blast berms surrounding the orbital tank farm are being turned from dirt walls into solid concrete fortifications by pouring concrete on top as a final layer.
From Chief’s perspective, the process can be studied up close.
This was likely meant to be done anyway, as the process was started prior to the Static Fire anomaly,
but there’s a good chance that SpaceX is now speeding up the process to have it done before Super Heavy static fires continue.
And these aren’t the only upgrades to the launch hardware either.
Owe from SpaceX 3D creation eccentric and I have been working together again to explain to you how SpaceX will be able to do better maintenance
work on Super Heavy booster engines in the near future.
These are pictures Chief took on July 21st at the SpaceX Starbase, Texas, launch site.
They show a massive new piece of hardware that just arrived at the launch site.
At first, we were puzzled about what this could be meant for, but after some research, the puzzle pieces started coming together.
These chains are another important part of the puzzle piece.
The platform will be lifted up under the OLM.
That can only mean one thing.
SpaceX wants a better way to reach under a booster while it’s sitting on the orbital launch mount.
Engine maintenance is the key here!
And this is where Owe from SpaceX 3D creation eccentric comes into play.
It’s likely going to work like this.
The platform slides under the OLM with the wings folded in.
Once it is positioned correctly,
it unfolds its wing platforms and is lifted up directly under the engine section of a Starship booster mounted on top of the Orbital launch mount.
This platform is key to SpaceX’s launch strategy.
Being able to launch multiple boosters from the same launch mount per day means that quick access to the engines needs to be available at all
times. Inspection and quick swap out of Raptor 2 engines would be a common thing as the engines are what wear down the most on a Rocket launch.
Massive shout-out to Owe! If you’d like to support or follow him, links can be found in the description!
SpaceX will use more engines on the Starship program than any launch provider before.
On July 27th, six more Raptor v2 engines got delivered to the Starbase, Texas, production site.
Among them was an extraordinary milestone.
Raptor v2 engine number 113. Let that sink in.
Even though it showed a large 100 on the bell, it was already 13 engines ahead!
All those engines delivered to Starbase, Texas, right now are flight worthy.
All of them are intended for future boosters.
Boosters number 8 to 10 are in various stages of construction and as it seems, Hawthorne,
where SpaceX currently manufactures their Raptor v2 engines, seems to be able to keep up with demand.
Over the development process, the Raptor engine turned into a sleek, stream-lined engine with technology not even available to other launch providers.
Recent changes include electric thrust vector control replacing the hydraulic system and a different ignition system.
Raptor v2, in its current state, does not have internal igniters anymore.
It’s unclear how SpaceX accomplishes this, but it means less complexity and faster manufacturing.
Now, let’s quickly jump over to Florida and SpaceX’s efforts at Kennedy Space Center!
Because SpaceX is not only busy in Texas.
Their efforts to build up a Starship launch facility at Kennedy Space Center are ramping up quickly!
This is Mechazilla Tower segment number 5 being rolled out from their Roberts Road facility towards Pad 39A on the evening of July 27th,
as seen on Spaceflight Now! Subscribe to them if you haven’t done so yet!
Great live coverage of what’s happening in Florida!
Of course, we went out as well.
In fact, the day before it happened and on July 28th.
Living at the Space Coast does have its advantages!
We’re starting off the KSC field trip with some tanks currently being repurposed for the LC39A Starship Pad!
These two tanks, for example, were sitting close to the VAB press site on July 27th and are now already at the Pad39A Starship launch site,
likely to be refurbished as Methane Tanks for the Starship mount.
This tank, likely dating back to the Apollo Era, is already on site and being refurbished.
It’s likely that SpaceX will use it for LOX.
SpaceX is in the process of building another orbital tank farm.
Another?!
The overview shows how much historic LC39A is currently changing, but it also shows one crucial problem for SpaceX.
Nasa has already stated concerns about the close proximity of the new Starship launch mount to the Falcon 9 launch structure.
If anything happens during an early Starship launch, the current Launch tower would likely be damaged.
The problem is that this launch structure is the only one currently rated for Dragon launches out of Kennedy Space Center.
If it needs to be repaired, NASA would not have a launchpad for launches towards the ISS for some time.
So, SpaceX currently is looking into either getting SLC41 crew-rated or accelerating their build plans for LC49,
which will be a brand new dedicated Starship launch pad north of the SLS pad 39B.
The next day, so on July 28th, Stefanie, my wife and editor for What about it!?
went out to Pad 39A again to inspect the progress, and here you go!
Segment 5 had safely arrived at the pad and was waiting, ready to be stacked, on the hook!
This leaves us with 4 more full-size segments and one smaller crown segment to be transported and stacked on top of Mechazilla 2.
All of which, of course, is currently in production at SpaceX’s Roberts Road Starfactory.
It’s a bit difficult to get good pictures of it from the ground, but our first own helicopter flight is already booked, so stay tuned for more!
This is what it’s all about. Constant innovation in an industry that was almost asleep before companies like SpaceX entered it.
And in the wake of SpaceX’s rise, all sorts of new companies are popping up, trying to replicate SpaceX’s success.
Let’s talk about one of the most promising new competitors next!
Relativity Space: 3D printed rockets going to Mars!
A young rocket launch provider from the US founded in 2015 by Tim Ellis and Jordan Noone has recently been stirring up quite a bit of talk.
With these kinds of pictures. You’re looking at stage 2 of an orbital rocket being 3D printed out of metal alloy.
Fully automated with robots. Cheap, fast, and extremely innovative.
Second to none in the Aerospace industry.
But does this even work?
Can an orbital rocket be entirely 3D printed?
Apparently, yes. And even though they’ve not even launched Rocket number 1,
they’re already printing out rocket number 2. For NASA and the VCLS 2 launch contract.
I’ve talked about Relativity Space a few times before.
One indicator for them really meaning business and advancing fast is that there is a lot to talk about.
This is the integrated stage 2 at the NASA Stennis test facility, where Relativity Space has its own test stand.
These are all sorts of media releases only from the last two months showing the journey of the first Terran 1 rocket to fly to space later this
year. The team is working incredibly hard.
They’re learning how to get a fully 3D-printed rocket ready for a first flight.
On July 25th they performed a first spin up test of the rocket at Launch Complex 16 at Kennedy Space Center.
All 9 Aeon engines, fully 3D printed as well, performed a perfect spin up and ignition.
Since LC16 is almost at the southern tip of the Kennedy Space Center, it is hard to get good pictures, but Relativity Space has got us covered.
A 3D-printed rocket sitting on the pad, undergoing live testing.
A true first for the space coast!
This video is from July 27th. It shows The Terran 1 first stage slated for their first mission titled GLHF performing a full static fire.
The characteristic blue flame of a Methane engine.
All Aeon engines use liquid oxygen and liquid natural gas, easy to eventually make on Mars.
To date, Aeon has completed 500+ test fires.
Yes, Mars. You heard me right.
After Terran 1 has demonstrated that Relativity Space is capable of building a 3D-printed orbital rocket with only a few launches,
they’ll do what many new launch providers try to achieve.
Quickly transition to the larger rocket.
The real deal.
Terran R. Fully 3D-Printed, fully reusable, made for next-generation satellites and… drum roll… Multiplanetary transport.
The current goal for Relativity Space is Mars.
Same as SpaceX. Not quite as large as a Starship, but with a similar approach and entirely private.
And if you still don’t think that they mean it, here comes your final clue.
On July 19th Relativity Space announced a partnership with Impulse Space.
Never heard of Impulse Space?
I’m talking about this. No, not the Porsche, the guy inside!
Thomas John Mueller, or Tom Mueller, as he’s widely known, arguably is one of the most important engineers the modern Space Industry has to offer.
CTO of Propulsion at SpaceX until November 2020, he was the one to give Falcon 9 its engines.
Merlin was his biggest project at SpaceX, and when he left, he found that when he stopped creating, he didn’t feel right.
Who can blame him, right?
So, he founder Impulse Space in 2021 and now he’s working together with Relativity Space to be on Mars before Elon.
Their plan is to send an entirely commercial mission to Mars.
The first one in human history.
The goal is to rapidly advance a multi-planetary future for Humanity.
Heard that before? Right! That’s what SpaceX is working on and now we finally have two missions.
Two teams and two vehicles. In this case it won’t be the whole upper stage flying to Mars.
It will only be the payload, but that doesn’t make the mission less important in the slightest.
We’re talking payload delivery to the surface of Mars.
Something only large multi-national government-funded projects have achieved so far.
Don’t get me wrong here. It’s a VERY optimistic timeline.
Terran R hasn’t even launched yet.
But even if the mission gets delayed to 2026 or later, it would still be an incredible achievement for the Private space sector.
And again and maybe even most important.
This turns a single company endeavor into a two-player game.
Innovation creates more innovation.
Relativity Space and Impulse Space are sending a signal out to the whole industry that this is not a SpaceX-exclusive show.
That this can be done by others.
Musk said it himself many times before.
This can not be done by SpaceX alone, and this might be the moment the industry has been waiting for.
A second team willing to tackle the largest goal.
Mars. Good luck to Relativity Space and Impulse Space.
Tim Ellis and Tom Mueller, you inspire, and you rock!
Thank you for watching, and have a fantastic rest of your day!
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